Cultural Activities Revolving Loan

Introduction

The Cultural Aide Revolving Loan (CARL) program is a North American Basque Organization (NABO) funded program whose purpose is to provide quick turn-around, low-cost, gap, financial assistance to NABO affiliated organizations in support of the development and continuation of Basque related activities.

Eligibility Requirements

Applicants must show evidence of being an officially recognized member of NABO. Only officially recognized NABO members who are in “good standing” are eligible to apply for a revolving loan.

Definition of “good standing” is that the member organization is current on all paid dues and fees associated with being a NABO affiliated member.

No applicant organization that is in arrears of any NABO sponsored loan will be considered, nor eligible for any new lending inquiries until the previous loan is paid back to NABO in full.

Eligible Uses for CARL Funds

Eligible uses include activities and events that support and encourage the maintenance, development and appreciation of Basque language and culture. Some possible uses include, but are not limited to:

Cultural awareness, appreciation, and instruction to include both historical and contemporary views;

Priority will be given to those applications that foster interaction between and amongst NABO affiliated organizations and their membership.

Non-Eligible Uses for CARL Funds

Some possible ineligible uses include, but are not limited to:

Cannot be used as collateral, or a down payment to secure a larger loan;

Cannot be used for brick and mortar;

Cannot be used to meet operational, or day to day costs of an organization;

Cannot be used to cover the full cost (100%) of the event/purpose of the loan;

Other uses may be deemed ineligible as determined by the CARL Review Committee.

Loan Characteristics

Loan amounts will depend on available CARL funds as well as the number of applicants requesting funding. Though there is no minimum loan request amount, there will be a maximum loan request of $2,500.00. This maximum amount can increase as the balance of the original $5,000.00 CARL fund increases. Increasing the maximum loan amount would be suggested to the NABO delegates by the NABO President, with consultation of the NABO Treasurer and CARL Chair. Final approval of such increase would be determined through a majority vote by the NABO delegates.

There will be no interest charged to organizations on approved loans.

No project will be funded at 100% of the total cost. At a minimum, the requesting organization must have 20% of the totalproject cost “in-hand” at the time of application.

Applicants should consider whether the proposed project could be successfully completed if the total requested loan amount is not available.

Loan process overview will include but not be limited to:

Submission of loan application and non-refundable application fee;

Application review by the CARL Review Committee;

Approval or denial of application;

If the loan application is denied then:

The CARL Chair will respond to the applying organization to discuss why the application was denied;

If additional documentation is needed then the applying organization may provide this information without having to submit another non-refundable application fee;

If the loan application is approved then:

The CARL Chair will respond to the applying organization to report that the application was approved;

Signing of the CARL Agreement between the NABO President and representative(s) of the applicant organization outlining the loan amount, structure and parameters of the revolving loan;

Allocation of funds from NABO to approved applicant organization;

Utilization of funds by the applicant organization;

Full repayment of loan within one full calendar year allocation date of funds;

Application Form

The standardized NABO application form must be filled out completely and correctly by a representative of the organization applying for funds. A $50.00 non-refundable application fee must accompany the application upon submission to the CARL Committee Chair. Email completed form to: loan@nabasque.eus

Administration

The NABO President will appoint the CARL Chair. Duties of the CARL Chair will include:

Serve as the main point of contact and lead for the CARL program;

Work in partnership with the NABO President and NABO Treasurer to monitor CARL’s fiscal records and repayment schedules;

Collaborate with the NABO President to appoint members to the CARL Review Committee;

Review all applications to ensure they are complete;

Assemble the CARL Review Committee, either in person or via telecommunications, to review and approve or deny applications;

Exclusion of voting rights in the approval or denial a loan application, unless there is a tie among the voting members of the CARL Review Committee. Should there be a tie among CARL Review Committee members the CARL Chair will cast the deciding vote in those circumstances;

Present CARL program information to the NABO delegates either in person or through correspondence at regularly scheduled NABO meetings;

The NABO President, with the assistance of the CARL Chair, will appoint NABO delegates to the CARL Review Committee. This committee will be made up of 3 members, excluding the CARL Chair. Duties of the CARL Review Committee will include, but may not be limited to:

Meet with Committee members, either in person or via telecommunications to review and vet all completed CARL applications;

Vote to approve, or deny all competed applications;

Determine the amount of funding to be allocated to those approved applications;

Loan Repayment

The period of any loan repayment shall not exceed one year from the date of loan allocation to the applicant organization, regardless the amount of the loan.

If extra time is needed to repay the loan amount, an organization can request an extension for up to an additional year. Written explanation of the need for the extension as well as documentation showing what has been paid on the balance of the loan, must be submitted to the CARL Chair prior to the repayment deadline as stated in the terms of the Loan Agreement. Requests for such extensions must be approved by the NABO President and CARL Review Committee.

Any members of an organization that defaults on a loan within the time limits as stated in the CARL Agreement, or the loan repayment extension will lose their ability to participate in NABO sponsored events such as, but not limited to the NABO mus final tournament, Udaleku, NABO pilota and pala sponsored tournaments, jr mus tournament, and gaztea/youth programs, since that organization is not in “good standing” with NABO.

Upon repayment of the defaulted loan, and if the organization is in “good standing” with all dues and fees paid for that current year, the organization’s members may fully participate in all NABO sponsored activities and events.

If there are extenuating circumstances and a loan can not be paid in full, a majority vote by the NABO delegates, at a NABO meeting, is required in order to reinstate the “good standing” of the organization within NABO, and waive the defaulted amount.